Swimming in the Sea

Swimming in the Sea in South East England

Sandwich

Sandwich is the furthest point from London by train - the conventional journey takes over two and a quarter hours, though using the high speed train out of St Pancras and changing at Ashford cuts this to 1 hour 45 minutes. It is worth making the effort, however, as this is a tranquil and interesting town, frozen at its medieval size by the silting up of its port. It is a pleasant 2.5 mile walk down a minor road to Sandwich Bay, or take one of the two footpaths across the Royal St George golf course. Your reward a huge sweep of shingle beach (albeit with a rather brown sea, due to sediments) that you may well have to yourself.

As at Deal, there are strong currents running parallel to the shore here, so don't go too far from the shore. However these are sometimes absent in the sweep of bay to the north of the houses of the Sandwich Bay estate, directly seaward of the Royal St George Golf Course.

From Sandwich Bay, it is only three miles or so along a flat coast into Deal, a pleasant walk on a sunny day. A similar distance northwards brings you to Shell Ness, where I am told there is a seal colony.